Big Y big winner at EBCI Community Awards

 

By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.

ONE FEATHER STAFF

 

The Big Y Community was the big winner at the annual EBCI Cooperative Extension Community Awards.  Named a Community of Distinction, the top community award on the night, Big Y was honored for its work throughout the year at the awards banquet held at the Yellowhill Activity Center on the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 18.

The communities are judged on the standards of the WNC Communities organization which states that a Community of Distinction is honored for “their ability to work together in assessing, developing, and implementing strategies to address community issues”.

Big Cove and Birdtown took the second tier award as a Community of Promise followed by Yellowhill, Snowbird, and Wolftown which were named Engaged Communities.  Tow String and Cherokee County Indian Club were both named Participating Communities.

Big Y also took first place in the Community Garden (Organic) contest and Yellowhill took first in the Community Garden (Conventional) division.

Chumper Walker, EBCI Cooperative Extension director, opened Tuesday’s program by thanking all of the communities and individuals for their work over the past year.  “This community depends on every person in this room in some form or fashion.”

Lisa Hardesty, of the Big Cove Community, was given an Outstanding Volunteer Award for her work as the outgoing Community Club Council secretary. “Thank you for the honor of allowing me to serve.  It’s been quite a joy and a privilege.”

Cherokee students Kaelin Jones, Emma Taylor, and Lucian Davis (not present) were honored with a Family & Consumer Science Award for their work over the summer with the Teen Cuisine Cooking Program where they offered cooking demonstrations and taught knife skills, food prep, and more.

Numerous garden awards were given during the evening including:

Youth Garden Awards

Big Cove

• Youth Conventional, Seaborn Bradley

Yellowhill

• Youth Conventional , Jane Bradley

Birdtown

• Youth Conventional , Tyler Ledford

Big Y

• Youth Conventional, Jessilyn Lambert
• Youth Organic, Kinley Crowe
• Youth Family Conventional, Kaiser Hernandez, Samuel Hernandez, and Morgan Hernandez

Big Cove

• Youth Conventional, James Arch
• Youth Conventional, Noah Arch

Wolftown

• Youth Organic, Resilynn Lossiah

Yellowhill

• Youth Conventional, Vivian Ross

Snowbird

• Youth Conventional, Emily Jones
• Youth Organic, Weston Smoker

 

Adult Garden Awards

Big Cove

• Senior Organic, Mary Bottchenbaugh
• Adult Conventional, 1^st place, Tommy Bradley
• Adult Conventional, 2^nd place, Vita Nations
• Senior Adult Conventional, 1^st place, Tom Bradley Sr.

3200 Acre Tract

• Adult Conventional, 1^st place, Richard Owle

Birdtown

• Adult Organic, 1^st place, Robert Laplante
• Senior Adult Conventional, 1^st place, David Rowland
• Senior 90+, 1^st place, Rebecca Boyum
• Adult Conventional, 1^st place, Alynne Stamper

Big Y

• Adult Conventional, 1^st place, Jessie Lambert
• Adult Family Organic, 1^st place, Trudy Crowe

Tow String

• Adult Conventional, 1^st place, Robert Matthews

Cherokee County

• Adult Organic, 1^st place, Vic Haigler
• Senior 70+, 1^st place, Louise Davenport
• Senior 70+, 2^nd place, Irene Mathis
• Senior 80+, Gertrude Kilpatrick

Wolftown

• Adult Conventional, 1^st place, Teresa Sampson
• Senior Adult Conventional, 1^st place, Barry Reed

Yellowhill

• Family Conventional, 1^st place, Lynn and Ernie Lossiah
• Family Conventional, 2^nd place, Anita and Bo Lossiah
• Family Conventional, 3^rd place, Ella Lossiah
• Senior Adult Conventional, 1^st place, Bill Smith
• Adult Conventional, 1^st place, Rhonda Colindres

Snowbird

• Senior Adult Conventional, 1^st place, Lou Jackson
• Adult Conventional, 1^st place, Lily Bird